This is a painting I have been working on for a long time and which has presented many challenges. My brother asked me if I would do an interpretation of one of Banksy's
famous images, as he didn't want just a simple print of it, and wanted the piece to be completed in my own style. It ended up being quite experimental and I tried a lot of new techniques, some of which are more successful than others. I think I've
learnt from this one never to give up, and when something seems like a lost cause, just keep going and the answer will more often than not come to you. Perseverance is key.
The sun beams down on the golden fields below
Sending waves of yellow light to every corner of my watchful eye.
As usual I wonder what lies beyond;this moment, this day, this lifetime, this field.
I guess I'll never know the answers to such bold questions
And I shouldn't be brave enough to ask.
Just Be.
Just another day riding the train sat in the same old seat.
This is my favourite one so far.
I always draw. All of the time. On the bus, on the train, in my bedroom, in the garden etc. Consequently I have built up a large collection of simple line sketches, mostly figurative and have been wanting to develop them for a while, adding colour, texture and general interest. Yesterday I managed to steal a few hours and began experimenting with overlaying the drawings onto some of my paintings. The results were very pleasing and I am particularly fond of the static black and white illustration, on top of all the mad experimental colour behind. With The Lovers Seat, it is like the couple are suspended in their own perfect moment, while the hectic moving world goes on around them.
This is simply phase one in the experiment. I would like to continue developing these pieces, stitching into them and possibly adding some embelishments, such as beads and buttons. There is always room for improvement.
Another day, and yet another card! As well as there being so many occasions and people to send cards to, I enjoy working on such a small scale, with the white background and a specific person in mind. I find it allows for a good amount of experimentation, but lacks the fear factor that a big blank canvas brings with it. I have recently been experimenting a lot with acrylic paints, seeing exactly what they can do, how they move and what magnificent effects can be created by scratching, squirting, rolling, dripping, dribbling etc....you get the gist. All of these processes produce one-off outcomes and whilst often the result can be messy, this is part of the fun of it. It is simply an exercise in investigation. I am however finding that with each painting I do, there is a least a small section of it which I like and which can be developed and turned into something else. Ripping,collaging and illustrating over the top is a favourite. Here, I have simply used two different colour experiments and turned them into the rough shape of a house and roof, then done simple line drawing over the top. It's a nice combination I think. The next step is of course to get BIGGER!
